netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

Injuries will happen. They may end up having to both play in a playoff game anyway. Wouldn't you want them to get as much playing experience if possible, then, especially if they've shown they deserve it?

The Pens need to be careful. While they have alot of depth, especially with 6th-7th defenseman types, getting rid of the Lovejoy's, Straight's, and Bortuzzo's is not going to yield return. Return will be yielded by trading one of their higher end prospects, so they don't want to gut the lower end guys then all of a sudden have few "depth" defensemen. I think obviously one of Despres, Matta, Morrow or Pouillot will have to be moved at the deadline this year.

netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

If you won't play them now to get the rookie mistakes out of their systems then I guess you can't throw them in the playoffs together. That's why they both need to be playing right now so you can make that call by the trade deadline.

netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

If you won't play them now to get the rookie mistakes out of their systems then I guess you can't throw them in the playoffs together. That's why they both need to be playing right now so you can make that call by the trade deadline.

This is what I was getting at. You play Despres-Bortuzzo now, so that when the playoffs get here, they're better prepared. Rookies won't adjust to NHL play by only playing half the time. Get them both in the game for at least 10 minutes a night. If you don't think they're going to be ready by the deadline, then see what you can find in the way of veteran safety net d-men.

netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

If you won't play them now to get the rookie mistakes out of their systems then I guess you can't throw them in the playoffs together. That's why they both need to be playing right now so you can make that call by the trade deadline.

This is what I was getting at. You play Despres-Bortuzzo now, so that when the playoffs get here, they're better prepared. Rookies won't adjust to NHL play by only playing half the time. Get them both in the game for at least 10 minutes a night. If you don't think they're going to be ready by the deadline, then see what you can find in the way of veteran safety net d-men.

I'm sure Despres would rather, right now, be getting his NHL paycheck and not playing than playing 20+ a night in WBS getting his AHL check. I just don't like him not playing when at worst he's clearly the 5th best guy on the team and often 3rd best when other players have putrid games.

He forces Letang to be honest when paired with him and I'd love to see Nisky and Bortuzzo together. Engellend is fine but we know what we have there.

Rylan wrote:I didn't realize that the general public knows the specifics behind Depres not playing. I feel I need to be enlightened.

yeah, sometimes these things happen for other reasons than on-ice performance...i think. like vitale should NEVER be scratched just based on the quality of his play. so i'll be optimistic and say that the couple times he was taken out of the lineup was because the team doesn't want him to burn out.

netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

If you won't play them now to get the rookie mistakes out of their systems then I guess you can't throw them in the playoffs together. That's why they both need to be playing right now so you can make that call by the trade deadline.

This is what I was getting at. You play Despres-Bortuzzo now, so that when the playoffs get here, they're better prepared. Rookies won't adjust to NHL play by only playing half the time. Get them both in the game for at least 10 minutes a night. If you don't think they're going to be ready by the deadline, then see what you can find in the way of veteran safety net d-men.

I'm sure Despres would rather, right now, be getting his NHL paycheck and not playing than playing 20+ a night in WBS getting his AHL check. I just don't like him not playing when at worst he's clearly the 5th best guy on the team and often 3rd best when other players have putrid games.

He forces Letang to be honest when paired with him and I'd love to see Nisky and Bortuzzo together. Engellend is fine but we know what we have there.

Despres has played 3/4 of the games, Bortuzzo 1/2. Imo, if DB really was so opposed to playing rookies, they'd simply send one of them (Bortuzzo) down. I'm fine with how they handle this, even though I don't like Despres being scratched either.

netwolf wrote:Yeah, I know there's no way outside of injury that Despres-Bortuzzo will both play.

Do you think they should? Just curious. I mean, there is no way we should be playing with two of Engo/Despres/Bort in playoff games. Or am I totally off here?

If you won't play them now to get the rookie mistakes out of their systems then I guess you can't throw them in the playoffs together. That's why they both need to be playing right now so you can make that call by the trade deadline.

This x1000. Basically this early part of the season is an extended training camp anyway. The rookies and young guys need to be given an extended look right now (I think they're doing a good job with Beau Bennett). I like Engelland, but he does not need to get a jersey every single game. They certainly don't need to rush Letang or Nisky back from injuries.

Despres and Bortuzzo need to play as much as possible right now, to see if they can handle not only the load of a condensed NHL schedule, but the pacing of the league. The other guys (Engelland, Eaton, Niskanen, etc) are known commodities. Maybe the young guys could step in and surprise. Maybe not. But the way it looks now we'll never know.

Would anyone else just "feel" better if Bylsma at least said Despres has played 33 games between WBS and Pittsburgh and has had some injuries? Bortuzzo is also at 38 while the next highest on defense is I guess Engellend at 35 adding in the 15 he played in Norway.

If that really is the reason, to make sure Despres doesn't get over worked, I'd buy it but the only thing we have ever heard Bylsma say was Despres wasn't a good match against a physical team like the Flyers which is a load of crap.

A guy like Despres needs to be playing a lot right now. He's going through his development. Sitting hurts his development IMO. If Bylsma doesn't want to play him, then send him to WBS and let him play down there. I don't think he should be down in WBS but Bylsma obviously doesn't like playing him every night, and it does no good having him sitting on his ass up in the press box.

MRandall25 wrote:For comparison's sake, Kris Letang only played in 63 games his 2nd season in the NHL. That's ~ 76% of the 82 game season.

Despres has played 15 (so far), which is 75% of the season so far.

So, tell me how sitting "hurts a player's development". He's right on par with the guy he has been compared to.

The team just brough in Mark Eaton. You think Despres playing time is going to stay the same now? Doubt it. Just wait a little while longer and you'll see Eaton in there with Engo and Bortuzzo and Despres in the presser.

Its just my opinion that sitting a player like Despres hurts his developement. I didn't say it ruins it. Just slows it down really.

And the Penguins have been awful at developing their young players under Shero and Bylsma. That can't be argued.

You mean to tell me the team in a win-now mode is less likely to play younger guys over veterans?

Color me shocked.

This is a serious question? The Penguins have been awful for years now at developing their own players. The Pens have to keep resigning guys like Craig Adams, Matt Cooke, and Tyler Kennedy because they can't draft or develope players.